Acid Attack Victims Must Be Compensated Irrespective Of Fine Imposed On Offender: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently gave relief to acid attack victims by holding that victims must be given compensation whether or not a fine has been imposed on the offender. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 432]Justice Jobin Sebastian clarified that compensation payable as per the Victim Compensation Scheme in accordance with Section 357A Cr.P.C. is in addition to the fine awarded to the offender under...

Telephone Interception Cannot Be Retrospectively Validated By MHA Confirmation Order: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that a confirmation order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Telecommunications (Procedure and Safeguards for Lawful Interception of Messages) Rules, 2024 is only confirmatory in nature and cannot retrospectively validate or enlarge the scope of an interception authorisation. The Court observed that Telephone interception is an exception to...

Irrespective Of Rank, Police Officials Cannot Order Further Investigation During Trial Without Court's Permission: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that no police officer, irrespective of rank, can direct further investigation in a criminal case during the pendency of trial without first obtaining the permission of the court trying the case.A bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena noted that this was a settled position of the law under Section 173(8) CrPC, however, now it has been...

Keeping Person In Police Custody Under Guise Of 'Voluntary Cooperation' Violates Article 22: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that investigating agencies cannot keep a person in their custody under the guise of "voluntary cooperation" to circumvent the constitutional safeguards against arrest, observing that such a course would violate Article 22 of the Constitution. The Court ruled that a mere endorsement on a notice stating that a person is voluntarily accompanying the...

Chhattisgarh High Court Refuses To Quash SC/ST Act Case Against Woman Over Instagram Remarks On Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings against a woman accused of posting objectionable remarks against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on Instagram, holding that the allegations in the charge-sheet, if taken at their face value, prima facie disclose the commission of cognizable offences. The Court further held that disputed questions relating to the alleged remarks,...

PC Act | Strong Suspicion, Not Proof Of Guilt, Is Required At Stage Of Framing Charges: Allahabad High Court Refuses Relief To Ex-GST Officer

Refusing relief to a former GST Official in a Corruption case, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday observed that at the stage of framing charges, the court is only concerned with a "strong suspicion" that the accused has committed an offence and the final test of proof of guilt is not to be applied."…at the stage of consideration of question of discharge of the accused/ revisionist a...

Trial Court Cannot Examine Witness At Pre-Cognizance Stage To Generate Fresh Evidentiary Material: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that a trial court cannot examine a witness at the pre-cognizance stage to generate fresh evidentiary material, as such a course is "wholly" outside the scheme of Section 190 CrPC.A Bench of Justice Santosh Rai observed that a court which has not yet taken cognizance does not possess a "free-standing power" to collect additional or corroborative evidence, as...

Loan Amount Not 'Entrusted Property'; Mere Failure To Repay Doesn't Constitute Criminal Breach Of Trust: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court has held that money advanced as a loan cannot be treated as property “entrusted” to the borrower for the purpose of constituting criminal breach of trust under Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code. The Court observed that a borrower is free to use the loan amount, unlike a person who receives property through entrustment and must deal with it subject to the...

Kerala High Court Denies Pre-Arrest Bail To Man Booked For 'Threatening' Social Media Posts Against Police Officer & Family

The Kerala High Court recently denied bail to Arjun A., who had allegedly threatened Kothamangalam SHO on social media and had sent sexually explicit messages to his family members. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 430]Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath remarked that the accusation against Arjun was serious and that pre-arrest bail cannot be granted as a matter of course.“Perusal of the case diary reveals...

ECIR Can Be Challenged Under Article 226, ED Can't Take Shelter Behind 'Internal Document' Label: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday (August 5) held that an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) can be challenged under Article 226 of the Constitution and that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cannot place it beyond judicial scrutiny by merely describing it as an "internal administrative document". [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 284]“….The constitutional jurisdiction under Article 226...

Chhattisgarh High Court Refuses Bail To Husband Accused Of Driving Pregnant Wife To Suicide Over Dowry Demand

The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to grant regular bail to a husband accused of continuously subjecting his wife to physical and mental cruelty on account of dowry demand, leading to her suicide. The Court observed that at the stage of considering a bail application, issues such as delay in registration of the FIR and alleged inconsistencies in the witnesses' statements are matters...

Chhattisgarh High Court Refuses To Quash FIR Against Self-Styled Godman Accused Of Inducing Doctor To Pay ₹25 Lakh For 'Divine Rituals'

The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to quash an FIR against a person claiming to be a spiritual practitioner who was accused of inducing the complainant to give over ₹25 lakh by representing that he possessed divine and spiritual powers capable of resolving the complainant's family difficulties through religious rituals. The Court further observed that its inherent jurisdiction cannot...